Poolesville

Jim Edwards

Owner

Jim is certified personal trainer with the National Strength and Conditioning Association, co-owner of Anytime Fitness in Poolesville, MD, spin instructor. He trains people of all ages, but he committed himself early in his career to helping the growing older population meet its fitness goals. He went back to school, earning a gerontology certificate at the University of Maryland, and then added a Senior Fitness Specialist designation to his portfolio. Jim is also a certified Spinning and group fitness instructor and has competed in nearly 50 triathlons, including the 2010 age group national championships in Tuscaloosa, AL. In 2014, he placed third in his age group at the Diamond in the Rough International Triathlon in Perryville, MD, and also qualified for the USAT Age Group National Championships. Additionally, Jim holds a bachelor’s in history from UMBC and a master’s in public communication from the American University.

Joy Hallfors

Owner

Joy has a great passion for health and fitness. The combination of 20 years of playing sports and her degree in Health Sciences from Gettysburg College in 2013 make it clear she is meant to be in the fitness industry. She was a dual sport collegiate athlete (softball and indoor track) and has recently completed sprint and Olympic-distance triathlons, half marathons, and a Tough Mudder. Prior to coming to Poolesville, she was the manager of Anytime Fitness Frederick for 3 years. She is a certified personal trainer (NASM) and always eager to help people reach their fitness goals!

Plato Burstein

Regional Manager

Plato grew up assisting personal training sessions and was promoted to Mascot of Anytime Fitness Kensington by age 5. At 11, he started pulling double duty working at Anytime Fitness Poolesville as well. Now 13, Our friendly, fluffy Member Relations Support Specialist enjoys playing tag, spinning in circles, making friends, napping on clothes, and licking sweat off hard-working club members. Weighing in at just over 10 lbs and generally quite docile, his playful sass encourages smiles throughout the clubs.

Indira Fayson

Staff

Indira has been introduced to fitness at a very young age. She started artsistic gymnastics at the age of 2 and went on to competing at the age of 11. She has also done rhythmic gymnastics where she gained most of her flexibility. When she became a freshman in high school she tried out for the Poolesville Poms team and has now been on the team for the last two years. Indira finds fitness to be a big part of her life and she likes to be physically active. Indira is a Member Services Assistant here at Anytime Fitness and loves the environment that the people have created here.

Rami Islam

Staff

Rami's fitness journey began as a toddler gymnast over 30 years ago. After 16 years of competing, he then moved on to coaching gymnastics until starting his military career. During his time as a naval officer, he took an interest in bodybuilding and packed on over 40lbs of muscle. As a certified trainer, he joins our Anytime Fitness team with experience in sports conditioning, group fitness training, corrective movement training, and general health.

Ashley Kelch

Staff

Ashley is a certified LaBlast® Instructor and is working towards her Group Fitness Certification.  With a strong background in tap & jazz, plus being a multi-sport collegiate athlete, the transition to dance fitness combined all of her strengths and skills.  Ashley has always dreamed of being able to teach, and is excited to share the joy that dance fitness brings to her to others.

Bill Preis

Staff

As a teen and young man, Bill only exercised when he had to. Like many people, injuries and a sedentary lifestyle combined with poor nutrition led to serious weight gain and deconditioning, and worsened a host of health markers. In middle-age he joined AF and worked with a certified trainer. Bill won a fitness challenge for body composition shortly thereafter and became a student of fitness and nutrition science. Bill lost 50 pounds and went from almost 40% body fat to less than half this amount, while enjoying the time in the gym (and the kitchen) doing so. Bill earned the designation of Certified Personal Trainer from the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Bill values FUN, systematic, results-driven exercise programming, as a formulaic approach to improve the quality of life, improve performance, and preserve independence as we age.

Courtney Shields

Staff

Our Club Nutrition Coach, Courtney Shields, is an ACE certified personal trainer with a specialty in Fitness Nutrition. As a dancer, she developed an interest in fitness at an early age, but struggling with her weight in high school is what started her on her fitness journey. Her goal is to change people's view of dieting by teaching them how to maintain a healthier lifestyle long term.

Joyce Berger

Trainer

Rather than be beholden to a particular yoga style, Joyce Berger teaches Hatha, Iyengar, Ashtanga, Restorative, Vini and others. In order to empower transformation, whether that means improving balance, flexibility and/or strength, Joyce observes her students carefully and adjusts the poses to accommodate their specific needs and goals.   In December 2011, Joyce obtained her national Yoga Alliance certification as an RYT, “registered yoga teacher”.  This year Joyce earned her E-RYT, which means that she has taught over 1000 hours of yoga.   In 2009, sick and tired of being sick and tired, Joyce decided to pursue an education in nutritional health counseling.  After making small, yet critical dietary changes, she began on a path toward vibrant health, more energy and clearer thinking, In fact, as soon as the fog of ill health began to lift, she was able to discover that her true passion was teaching yoga and supporting others to live a happier, healthier and more productive life!

Jim Edwards

Trainer

Becca Haney

Trainer

Becca first began her fitness journey at age 4 when she joined swim team. She went on to swim year round competitively for 11 years and coaches private in water self rescue swim lessons to children of all ages. She began lifting and programming in gym workouts in 2016 and now enjoys lifting heavy, hiking, and rock climbing. She received a Associates degree in pre-nursing from Montgomery College taking a variety of courses that also apply to health fitness. After deciding not to pursue nursing, she began working at a Chiropractic and Physical Therapy clinic in 2019 as a Rehab Specialist. This has given her a large amount of experience with rehabbing injuries, injury prevention, and in coaching beginners through lifting mechanics.

Marquette Heaven

Trainer

Marquette Heaven, E-RYT 200, is a life long fitness lover who did not discover yoga until the birth of her fourth child. Admittedly yoga at first was a vehicle to enhance her physical fitness but after a few classes she realized the importance of the mind and body connection. Yoga is now a vehicle to help her manage her type A personality. While Marquette enjoys being a yoga teacher, she considers herself a student first and foremost and enjoys sharing with others that yoga comes in a variety of packages and can be accessible to everyone.

Sammy Herman

Trainer

Sammy is a 200hr Certified Yoga Teacher. She started practicing yoga in 2013 while training for a half marathon. She figured yoga would be a great compliment to running, but it quickly became a great compliment for life in general. In 2017, Sammy moved to Florida to be with her Granny and chase her dreams. Some of these dreams included becoming a yoga teacher and continuing to grow her Tie Dye business. While there she found a wonderful little yoga studio that allowed her dreams to flourish. They guided her to a yoga teacher training, and sold her tie dye products in studio. Sammy studied at the Sanchin Institute, a school for yoga, and martial arts that sees the full connection between mind, body, spirit, and the ability of each individual to heal themselves. Her mission is to spread these ideas and teachings, so that people can truly heal themselves from within.

Ana Hernandez

Trainer

Ana Hernandez is a certified Zumba and Strong by Zumba instructor. After taking her first Zumba class, she discovered her new passion. After many instructors suggested her to take the next step and start teaching, she got certified in 2013. She danced Mexican Folklore back in Mexico in her college years and today she combines Zumba and Mexican dances to provide variety and fun for her students. Last January, she stepped out of her comfort zone and decided to become a Strong by Zumba instructor (HIIT). She enjoys dancing, feeling the music and sharing her passion with her students.

Donna Kimball

Trainer

Donna Kimball’s love for fitness and wellness began at the age of 16. Only a personal hobby then which turned into a love for fitness. Since 2010, Donna has been a Group X instructor and enjoys seeing her students learn how to move actively and functionally toward their journey of wellness. By day, Donna works full time at NIST and by night leads fitness classes! Donna currently leads the INSANITY class here at Anytime Fitness in Poolesville and has many certifications which include AFAA  (Group Fitness Instructor), INSANITY®, Tabata Boot Camp™, Military Style “Operation Fit”, PiYo®, P90X®, Kettlebell Hardstyle (RKC), and CPR.

Corey McGroarty

Trainer

Corey embarked upon a 100-pound weight-loss loss journey to improve her overall health, physique and confidence. She was an athlete in her younger years and fell in love with the gym all over again. A healthier lifestyle has helped her to create better habits that empower her in all areas of her life. With a long-standing passion for helping others feel better, Corey was in the beauty industry trying to help people feel better from the outside in, but through her own fitness journey she realized that to feel your best you have to focus from the inside out - starting with your health. She started in health club member services in 2014 and earned her coaching certifications in 2017. She's found the gym to be the best medicine and wants everyone to get a dose!

Pedro Rivera

Trainer

Pedro graduated from Catholic University with a B.S in Biology after completing the Pre-Med program. His personal exercise routine began at a young age with soccer, basketball, baseball, track, and cross country. His athletics continued through college- starting all 4 years on the Catholic University baseball team. Upon graduation, he began lifting weights regularly and performing HIIT workouts. In addition, he added mobility drills to those regular workouts. After several years as a Physical Therapy Assistant, he entered the Personal Training realm to help more people reach goals ranging from rehab to sports performance.

Sue Sokoll

Trainer

I've been a competitive athlete most of my life - soccer (high school) and fencing (in college!). I taught swimming lessons for 25 years and have been a certified indoor cycling instructor (Mad Dogg, creator of the Spinning Program) since 2001. I started teaching because I was bored in the cycling classes I was taking and wanted to bring the elements of exercise physiology, scientific training principles and athleticism into the cycling studio. Don't repeat the part about being bored!!! Today I ride outside but I don't compete. I swim (attempted and completed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Swim twice plus other distance races) and run but do not call myself a triathlete! By day I'm a Systems Engineer. I'm a member of Poolesville's Hope Garden Children's Ballet Theatre (not misspelled) Board of Directors, I take ballet lessons, love to bake. I love living in Poolesville and am thrilled to be working for Anytime Fitness, especially when Plato is in the house!

Janet Wolf

Trainer

Janet’s exercise journey began when her dad installed a basketball hoop into their garage. He had no sons to teach, so he and Janet would go one-on-one for hours. Basketball and cheerleading were the basis for transitioning into aerobic dance with Jackie Sorenson aerobics. Janet became an ACE certified aerobics instructor and taught classes in Germantown. She continued social athletics, participating in softball and indoor soccer in the area. Janet loves all things soccer, and especially likes to watch DC United. She’s a retired OR Nurse, therefore has seen many surgeries related to sports injuries. Having returned to very active fitness activities this last year, Janet knows the value and benefit of staying active and eating healthy. Janet is especially interested in improving the strength, balance, and flexibility of our customers to be ready for whatever life throws at you. Her experience as member at Anytime Fitness Poolesville is the main reason she became a Personal Trainer.